Spending a Gap Year Playing Tennis - The Right Choice For You?

A gap year can be one of the most exciting times in a young persons life, but how you decide to spend your year of freedom can make all the difference to the fun you’ll have, plus the skills you’ll take away into the future.



The choices for filling a gap year are endless and cover anything from teaching English as a second language to helping abandoned or ill treated animals. Among the favored choices is to spend a gap year playing a sport that you love. They provide a great way to improve skills, get in shape, make new friends and gain independence within a new and exciting country.



Choosing a gap year tennis club could see you being whisked away to the exotic shores of Australia or Argentina, where you’ll learn how to hone your skills or mentor others in the sport. This unique opportunity could throw open a range of possibilities for you, you could consider a career in tennis coaching, whats more you will also have the leisure time to explore a new country and experience their culture and customs.



Typically a gap year tennis course can last between 6 weeks and 6 months depending on the individual goals, but this is flexible. At a maximum of 6 months, a gap year tennis course allows you plenty of time to explore nearby countries, or to return home in order to earn money in readiness for a University course the year after.



The organisers of such trips will arrange for time to be spent playing and learning more about the game as well as provide the opportunity to visit the local attractions. They should offer numerous social activities together with a good standard of mentor support for the duration of your stay.



As an alternative you could decide to coach tennis throughout a gap year, which you could expect to be paid for as well as receiving support to enhance your own game plus your coaching skills. If you're considering coaching for a gap year then its essential that you get the balance right, obviously you'll be willing to give up enough of your time to earn some cash but you don't want to miss out on the truly amazing opportunity to visit places you might never get the opportunity to see again.



If you opt to head abroad to play and train in tennis you won't be receiving any income for your time, therefore you should make sure you have sufficient savings to help you fully enjoy your spare time. Regardless of this, your time abroad should see you coming away with highly developed skills in addition to a host of personal attributes that would be valuable additions to any CV.



Also remember, that you don't have to be a top-notch tennis player to get involved with a gap year tennis club. There are numerous clubs available, all suitable and catering towards various abilities. All good organisers will ensure that you're matched to the right club for your needs, whether you’re a casual player or a aspiring professional.

This article was writte by R. Deans on behalf of Sport Lived , experts in gap year tennis programmes. For more info on gap year tennis programmes , please visit sportlived.co.uk.